Barriers to Effective Communication in Distance Education: A case of the Open University of Tanzania - Tanga Regional Centre

Nkingwa, David Masonga Mathias (2013) Barriers to Effective Communication in Distance Education: A case of the Open University of Tanzania - Tanga Regional Centre. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate barriers to effective communication in distance education at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) - Tanga Regional Centre. Sixty nine respondents participated in the study through questionnaires, focused group discussions and semi- structured interviews. Data for the study were collected around the following focused themes: Communication barriers caused by OUT students, barriers caused by the OUT as an operating institution and barriers caused by English language as the medium of instruction. Tanga Regional Centre and Korogwe Teachers’ College (KTC) which are OUT Examination centres were the areas of study. Meaning condensation technique was used to analyze the qualitative data which were obtained. Incompetence in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and English Language were among the main barriers to effective communication in provision and delivery of distance education at the OUT -Tanga Regional Centre. Furthermore, The OUT administration has not installed reliable internet services at Tanga Regional Centre and it had not digitized all her study materials. The study recommends that OUT students should study English language and ICT so as to be able to effectively interact with study materials. OUT students are advised to be serious in studying. The OUT administration is advised to digitize all of her study materials. Finally, the Government of Tanzania is urged to install electric power and internet services all over the country, allocate enough funds to enable OUT prepare and procure adequate teaching and learning resources. It is the right time for Kiswahili to be used together with English language so as to enable students who are incompetent in English language to use Kiswahili for their studies.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: 300 Social Sciences > 370 Education
Divisions: Institute of Continuing Education > Department of Professional Studies and Continuing Education
Depositing User: Mr Habibu Kazimzuri
Date Deposited: 27 Apr 2016 09:43
Last Modified: 27 Apr 2016 09:43
URI: http://repository.out.ac.tz/id/eprint/1067

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